THE NORTH ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 16

THE NORTH ISLAND.

GENERAL. A summary of the combined figures of all groups in the Wairarapa Herd Testing Association shows:—Total number of cows, 8694; total butter-fat production, 2,066,0841 b; total days, 2,159,828; average production per cow, 237.64; average days, ■248; average butter-fat production per day, ,9561 b. In the 1929-30 season the production per cow was 251.301 b; average days, 249; average’ butter-fat production per day, 1.0091 b.

Pink discolouration in cheese as disclosed in a sample of New Zealand produce returned by request from London was shown by Mr W. M. Singleton (director of the dairy division) to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Factory Managers’ Association in Palmerston North. He stated that experts were at present working on the information available to determine the cause, which might be due to a mould growth.

The second winter national Jersey cattle sale was held at the Showgrounds, Palmerston North, when some choice lots were submitted in excellent condition. There were buyers present from almost all parts of the' North Island. Twentyfive of the lots were sold, a number being passed in. Heifers made from 14gns to 36gns, cows 17gns to 18gns, bulls 12gns to 23Jgns. Amusing stories of how he began farming in the Waikato were told by Mr W. Lee Martin, M.P., at a meeting at Christchurch (says the Times). When he bought the farm as a novice, he said, a land agent .told him that the land would carry 15 cows. A neighbour advised him to reduce the number to eight, but he decided to split the difference and put on 12 cow's. He did that with the result

that every blade of grass was eaten and he had to sell the cows to save them from starvation.

“ Wheat of excellent quality can be, and is being, grown in parts of the North Island,” stated the laboratory report presented to the meeting of the New Zealand Wheat Research Institute. Ten samples 'of North Island grow'n wheat ■were listed, and their moisture, protein content, and flour yield were detailed. It W'as stated that with the exception of Tuscan, their quality compared more than favourably with any 10 samples picked from, the 200-odd. milling "and baking samnles sent in by farmers and millers in' the South Island. These 10 samples were not selected ones, but represented all the milling and baking samples sent. A very encouraging sale of farming property was put through in Elthanr a few days ago (says the Argus). The farm in question is situated in the Mangatoki district, and changed hands at a figure very satisfactory both to the vendor and the purchaser. As a matter of fact, it is understood that the deal included a cash deposit of approximately £3OOO. The farm comprises 120 acres, and represents a very payable proposition on the basis of Is per lb butter-fat. The purchaser is a practical farmer, who is very familiar with* the Mangatoki district, and the price he paid leaves no doubt a« to his confidence in the'future of the dairying industry.

Praise for the mutton he saw at the Haiti freezing works earlier in the day was given by Lord Bledisloe when addressing a gathering of farmers at Gisborne (says the Herald). After visiting many freezing works in various parts of the country, he could say that he had not seen a finer or more even type of carcass than those he saw at Kaiti. He was glad to from the Government officer that the district was practically free from disease, and, except for what could be compared with a variety of rheumatism, there was no serious defect in the sheep. . He also was pleased to see the small rounded joints, which were the ideal for the London market.

One. of the biggest consignments of incalf Jersey heifers sent away from Taranaki for a long while was consigned recently to the order of a Waikato buyer by Messrs Newton King, Ltd., Hawera. The 'consignment, 250 in number, loaded into 18 trucks, was a particularly choice line of picked cattle, and when together presented a very pleasing spectacle, hav

ing been picked from some of the best herds in South Taranaki as yearlings. This consignment is the first big one sent away this season, but it is understood that the same firm will be sending away a similar one in about a month’s time. The special heifer fair to be held shortly will also give Waikato buyers a chance further to supplement their purchases.

BUTTER-FAT PAYMENTS. Some of the butter-fat payments in the Waikato for May supplies are a little ahead of what will be advanced in the Gisborne district, where lOd per lb has been decided upon. The New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co. had decided on lid for fat used for butter-making, and 8d for cheese, while the Te Aroha-Thames Valley payment is to. be Hid, free of reductions. Norfolk has fixed lOd .for butter and 9d for cheese. Sunny Park lid, and Hinuera lOd. An advance bonus of Id per lb is to be distributed by the Hinuera Co., and will bring the season’s average payment up to 12d per lb for its suppliers. GOAT RACING EXHIBITION. Among the principal features of an afternoon’s programme at the National Dairy Show was the Manawatu Kennel Club’s ribbon parade. Owing to the large number of entries making the judging late, it was found impossible to exhibit the dogs in the Oval. However, there was an exhibition with two vehicles drawn by goats, and this caused some amusement, the animals setting a merry pace in harness when driven by juveniles in the first race, but preferring to fight in the second. The Manawatu Kennel Club’s parade proved eminently successful, and some splendid animals were shown. The championship ribbon for the best dog in the show was awarded to Mrs Lacey’s blue roan cocker 1 spaniel Duke Bowdler, while the award for the best animal of the opposite sex went to Mr D. H. Edgar’s (Wellington) Irish terrier, Gilford Portway Gem. LIVE STOCK MARKETS. At the recent Gisborne sale there was a large entry of fat sheep, the quality of which was below that of last sale. Some recent buyers not operating, . and prices declined by Is 6d to ?s a head. Ewes sold to Ils 9d; average pens, 8s to 9s; lambs, 7s 3d to 10s 2d; second grade

ewes, 5s 6d to 6s 4d. An entry of 6000 store sheep, generally of ordinary quality, met with a slack demand. Breeding ewes, good, 7s to 8s 2d; poor sorts down to Is 7d to 2s 6d; empty forward, 5s 9d: fairly forward, 4s sd; wethers, fat and forward, 9s 2d; fairly, good, 8s 4d to 8s 7d; fair, 7s 4d; small, 6s to 6s 7(1. Lambs, fat and forward, blackface, 8s 4d; good size and condition, 7s Id; fairly good, 5s 4d.

At Feilding there was a small yarding. The fat sheep, ewes, and wethers especially sold well. The fat lambs were not quite up to the usual standard for quality, and prices for these were down accordingly. Fat cattle pens were fairly well filled, i and good quality cattle sold well at late rates. Store cattle were on a par with | previous sales. I ■ At Taihape sale, sheep met with keen I competition; cattle were not in much demand. Prices were as follow: —Cull lambs 4s; small lambs, 5s 6d to 6s 6d; .blackface lambs, 10s Id; mixed lambs. 10s lid; small two-tooth wethers, 10s lOd; twoyear steers, £3 10s. GISBORNE’S SURPLUS SHEEP. I The fact that Gisborne disposes of ' large numbers of store sheep annually to | outside districts has attracted the atteni tion of the Tauranga Harbour Board, and flock owners and their stock agents in this district may expect to r, c-'ive circ-u ars ex 1 tolling the merits of shipping through I Tarrt’anga when they have the Waikato j markets in view. At the last meeting of the Tauranga Harbour Board, Mr C. E. Macmillan, M.P., mentioned that he had attended a I meeting in Gisborne convened by th-’ | Chamber of Commerce, at which it was I stated that that district had an annual surplus of 250.000 sheep. I Mr Macmillan had expressed the facilities offered by Tauranga for transport of sheep to the various parts of the Bay of Plenty and the Waikato; by' sea t:» Tauranga, and thence by railway. Since that time no less than 8532 sheep nad been shipped from Gisborne distric l through Tauranga, this method having numerous advantages over road droving. On the motion of the chairman, it was unanimously decided that printed circulars on the subject should be sent to Lae leading sheep raisers, and also (o the various auctioneering firms in Poverty' Bay and Wairoa districts.

WHEAT RESEARCH. Results of researches of importance to primary industries throughout the Dominion were reported to a meeting of the Wheat Research Institute recently, when findings of interest to wheat growers, millers, and bakers, as well as to stock raisers, were placed before members. A summary has been made available by' roe Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The institute has taken up the question of growing wheat and barley' in the Nortn Island dairy’ centres for the feeding of pigs and poultry. In view of the fact'that the North Island experiences difficulty in this respect through lack of reapers and threshing machinery, a test was conduce 1 at Lincoln College recently, when pigs were feel upon unthreshed grain. The .-cries •of trials in which pigs iverwere fed with sheaves and skimmed milk showed that a pig ate a sheaf a day. A’i increase in live weight of 1001 b was ,e--eorded after the consumption of 5171 b of wheat, an increase almost identical with that when threshed grain was fed to the pigs, showing that unthreshed wheat was as economical for pig food as that previously threshed. A similar trial was conducted with barlev. and equally satisfactory results wetrobtained. It was thus shown that where North-Island farmers can grow either of these crops, there is no need to incur the trouble and expense of threshing before feeding pigs. « MANAWATU WINTER SHOW. Best calf reared during 1930-31 season. Open to all non-pedigree calves, and memners of all recognised boys and girls’ cab clubs: James Clark (Kainanga), Diana, 1; Neil Cheetham (Bsnnythorpe), Peggy, 2; Jean Cheetham (Bunnythorpe), Merle, 3. Nine entries were received for this clasl- - calves will be on exhibit until Fridav National Dairy Association competition, open to members of New Zealand Dairv Factory Managers’ Association —Cheese: G. Keanney (Pahiatua). J. Murray (New Plymouth), and N. J. Terry' (Rua Roa), efiual first, 99 points. Massey College students’ competition oir same .cheese: W. 1 Harkness, 97 points, 1; S. W. Booth, B. A. Baird, and E. Agate, equal second with 95 points. „, , Butter: AV. C. Batty (Masterton). 99 points, 1: F. Souness (Wairuhe). M. Wil- - (Aniti), and P. Briggs (Hillsbor ough, New Plymouth), equal second with 981 points. Massey College students’ competition with same butter: G. F. Bain. G. L. Riestener, and E. Agate equal first with 981 points: T. Russell, 2. An exhibit that has atracted much attention from the the farming section of the community is the Department of Agriculture’s' extensive display, in which the seven stages in grassland progress from the forest burn to the first-class pasture, various species of grasses, ensilage, and other stock fodders, are displayed and explained by officers of the department. The department has also another exhibit dealing with wool. . The first prize baconer, a BerkshireTamwortli cross, exhibited by Mr Davidson, was farrowed on June 7, 1930, and was sty-fed on buttermilk. The live weight of the animal was 1941 b, the dressed hot weight 1491 b, and the dressed cold weight 1451 b. The percentage of loss from cold to cured weights was 22.76 per cent. The second placed animal, also of the same breed as the first placed pig, and owned by the same breeder, was farrowed on the same date, and, fed under similar conditions. The animal’s live weight was 2041 b, vyhile the loss from cold weight to cured ‘was 28.2 per centThe same breeder also secured the third place .with a similar breed of animal. Tl)fe North Island sheep dog trial show ring championship resulted:: —C. B. Davis (Mabarahara), 1; M. Harris’s (Mata roa) Kep, 2; A. M. Curry’s (Woodville) Sweep, 3. ■